Of Rainbows and Cotton Candies
by AdrenaVeris
Summary: "How could you do this to me!" "...are you finally satisfied?" They just don't learn, do they? In the end, the rainbow in the sky remains hidden behind those cotton clouds. Unless, they stop looking for it. Tainakano, Mitsu YuiAzu hints. Canon-verse
1. Fluff1  Red

**A/N:** I have so many ongoing stories (that weren't updated yet) so it's wrong to start another one, I know. But it's Ritsu's birthday so I want to put up something at least. I have update my profile page too.

Unlike the other stories, this one is a light read. Each entry is sequential but it's more about character development and interactions rather than a solid, deep plot. But of course, there is a plot line :3

So, finally a RitsuxAzusa, something I've wanted to write for so long. I will try to keep this as simple and fluffy as possible.

Reminders this story is set in canon verse and it will follow the anime timeline. Heavy YuiAzu and Mitsu hints.

Thanks to ghikiJ-san for beta as usual :3

Disclaimer: I don't own K-on

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><p><strong>~C~C~C~C~C~C~C~<strong>

**Fluff1 – Red Cotton Candies**

**~C~C~C~C~C~C~C~**

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><p>"<em>Heh, this would go great with your ears, Azusa~"<em>

_The pigtailed girl hissed and threw the tiger-ears at her grinning senpai. "I really didn't know I was wearing it!" _

"_Sure~"_

_Huffing, the younger girl folded her arms and stormed past a tawny-haired girl, who was still chuckling and wiping mock tears away. What was so funny about those toramimi? Where were the other senpais?_

_After the light music club watched the first sunrise of the New Year together at Yui's secret spot, they decided to go to a mini-festival a few days later to celebrate the brand new start of a year. However, _someone_ managed to salvage the much hated tiger ears from that day and _somehow _placed it on top of her head without her knowin _again_._

_Naturally, Nakano Azusa was not amused._

"_D'awww come on, Azusa-chuan~ You're the symbol of people's hope, the tiger-kitten!" _

_Tainaka Ritsu laughed smugly and chased after the furious kouhai in attempts to force the toramimi on her head again. Azusa weaved through the crowd with such a frightening scowl on her face that people cleared the path in order to avoid a prompting glare. The older girl twirled the accessory and cheerfully ran up to her steaming kouhai._

"_Tsk tsk, Nakano, look at you all fluffed up. Relax~ It's new years!" She slung an arm around the unimpressed pigtailed girl, who shrugged off the offending limb and began to text her friends Ui and Jun. _

_However, Azusa no longer cared who responded first as long as they rescue her from this irritating senpai. Well, anyone will do except-_

_Fuwa Fuwa Time began to blare audibly in spite of the festival noise surrounding them. She slapped her own forehead at the name blinking on the screen. Groaning with trepidation, she answered the call knowing exactly what was to happen._

"…_Yui-senpai…?"_

"_Azunyan! Guess what, Mugi-chan and I found it! Even Mio-chan says it's really cute! We're right next to the goldfish vendor right now!"_

"_Ah, I think I just saw Ritsu-senpai. I'll meet up with everyone after I catch up to her," Azusa muttered calmly and quickly ended the call. _

"_What was that about? Where are Yui and the others?" Ritsu raised an eyebrow, nonplussed._

_The pigtailed girl rubbed her temples and took deep breaths, trying to delete the today's events in her mind. After Ritsu placed the toramimi on top of her head, Yui immediately cuddled her despite her screeching protests. Then, with her characteristic smile, the brunette proclaimed she would find a costume for her Azunyan. Mugi seemed really pumped up at the idea and sprinted after her friend. Mio sighed exasperatedly and followed after them, saying someone needed to keep an eye on those two. This commotion happened all too quickly for Azusa and before she knew it, she was left alone in the middle of the crowd, red-faced with that damnable thing still on top of her head. _

_Well technically, she wasn't alone. _

"_I bet they found a cute costume for you! Oh man, I should have gone with them!"_

"_Then why didn't you?" Azusa growled darkly. She preferred to be by herself rather than looking after this child of a senpai like an unpaid babysitter. _

"_The tiger-kitty got angry again, how scary~" Ritsu held up her hands, moving her fingers frantically as if deciding what to do with the pigtailed girl. "Of course I stayed behind! Someone's going to snatch you from this crowd like a lost kitty! Don't worry, as the captain, I'll make sure my private's pet doesn't get hurt!"_

_Ignoring her, Azusa listlessly looked around the vendors in search of something to drink or eat, anything to divert her attention or perhaps even pour out her frustration to. Bottles of ramune soft drinks were quite tempting, so were the boxes of pockies over there. The sizzling smell of takoyakis as they were turned over and the metals clangs of yakisoba being cooked on the iron plates were enticing her. It was truly difficult to decide amongst these delicious snacks and food. _

_Garnet eyes lit up in excitement at the thought of taiyaki. She was certain that a festival like this would sell those fish-shaped cakes somewhere. Before she could go on her search, she noticed something she hadn't seen for a long time._

_The soft and wispy appearance was unmistakable. _

_Cotton candies. _

_Entranced, Azusa walked towards the stall with a soft smile. She still remembered how her parents would always buy her this delicious imitation of the cloud when she was little while they walked around the festivals. She would sit on her father's shoulders as her mother tugged a fluff off the cotton candy branch and passed it to her. The childhood nostalgia easily washed away any irritations she had, leaving only the fondness of that precious memory within her. _

"_Old man, give me the red one!"_

"_Sure thing!"_

_The black-haired girl blinked as Ritsu grabbed her hand and put the snack in her grasp. She snapped out of her stupor and stared at the strawberry-colored cloud in confusion. "What are you doing?"_

"_Well, you look like you really wanted it," the older girl grinned proudly, "so as your senpai, of course I'm gonna buy it for you!"_

"_I-I was going to pay for it myself!" Flustered, Azusa dodged an incoming hand before it could ruffle her hair. _

"_D'aw, but that's no fun! Just enjoy your treat and lighten up, Azusa-chuan~" Ritsu shrugged and said in a sing-song voice._

"_Fine, I'll buy one for you too."_

"_No no no," the tawny-haired girl held up her finger, tutting, "I can't let my kouhai treat me! Oh, unless it's because you don't want to be the only one eating?"_

"_What?"_

"_Okay okay, I'll get one for myself too so little kitty doesn't stand out~"_

_Ritsu immediately purchased the colorless one and began to chomp down on it. _

"_Hey! That's not how you're supposed to eat it!" Annoyed, Azusa plucked a piece of the snack and placed it in her mouth, savoring the rich sweetness as the fluff quickly dissolved. "How can you enjoy the taste and texture if you eat it like that?"_

_The older girl rolled her eyes. "There's no rule in eating something, is there? I'm gonna eat it however I want!" To emphasize her protest, Ritsu gave her cotton candy one exaggerated bite. Azusa gritted her teeth and pulled another fluff, chewing it slowly in retaliation. The older girl smirked and took another huge gulp. _

_Veins popping, the pigtailed girl was prevented from doing something drastic when a sudden call sailed over her head._

"_A~ZU~NYAN~"_

_Even with the warning, Azusa could not move her body out of the way when the brunette collided into her back. Familiar arms then wrapped around her as the owner nuzzled against her head, giggling._

"_Did you miss me?" Before the younger girl could reply, Yui's eyes lit up excitedly, "oh yeah, Azunyan, we found the best okonomiyaki vendor over there! You should try some too!"_

"_I see," Azusa quirked an eyebrow at the sauce smudging the brunette's cheeks. _

_Up ahead, she saw Mugi was waving her arms and pointing at the stall like a hyper kid, so unlike her usual ojou-sama image. Out of the corner of her eyes, the pigtailed girl noticed Ritsu putting cotton candy fluff across her lips to imitate an old man. Mio laughed and playfully whacked at her arm. Chuckling, the tawny-haired girl then tore off a piece of the snack and held it out to her childhood friend. The black-haired girl looked slightly embarrassed but she accepted the offer either way._

_Smiling, Azusa returned her attention back to Yui and wiped at her cheek with a handkerchief to clean off the sticky sauce. _

"_Heheh, thanks Azunyan!" The brunette sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I'll return the favor!" _

_Grabbing her hand, she pulled the younger girl as they began to run towards the blonde. Azusa squeezed their entwined hands the same time her other hand tightened around the stick that held the cloudy cotton candy._

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><p>"Azusa."<p>

Garnet eyes continued to stare into space, heedless of her friend's voice. The continuous drips of rainwater against the windows made Azusa feel like she was trapped in an aquarium. Restless and bored, she wondered what Ton-chan thought of the rainy season. Would she think it was frustrating? Moody? Or would she not care since she was already swimming happily in her tank anyway? Ever since Yui and the others bought the soft-shelled turtle for her, the pigtailed girl felt a special connection to Ton-chan. The little critter was like the bond bridging her to the brunette after all.

"Azusa-chan?"

Yui really was quite the mysterious girl, contrary to belief. As simple as she may appear, Azusa could not figure out how her senpai's mind worked. She would always be extremely childish one moment and infinitely wise the other, like the time Yui tried to help their club president get over her 'woe'. At first, it seemed like the guitarist was just trying out different methods of bringing Ricchan to the spotlight for fun. However, when the brunette talked about how she would not mind switching positions with the drummer, Azusa realized how genuinely concerned she was about her friend. The pigtailed girl was really confused as to how she felt about the brunette. Exasperation? Annoyance? Admiration?

…or adoration?

"Oi~ Azusa~"

Perhaps it was the seniors' graduation trip that made Azusa discover something within herself. Yui's absence made her sorely miss the air-headed senpai even though she was only gone for two days! Had she grown so used to the brunette's presence that everything felt so off without her around? The pigtailed girl once despised the impromptu hugs but when she got glomped in the hallway, she felt so relieved and giddy. How and when did this change?

"Azusa-chan, are you okay?"

"Huh?"

Garnet eyes blinked slowly as Azusa finally focused on the worried faces of her friends. Ui felt her forehead while Jun folded her arms irritably.

"Geez, we've been calling out to you for the several minutes to tell you class is already over…are you sure you're not coming down with something?"

"It doesn't seem like she's burning up though," Ui pulled away, her soft voice still brimming with concern, "You've been staring into space a lot lately, Azusa-chan. Is there anything troubling you?"

"Maybe there is~" Jun smirked and flicked the shorter girl's forehead, making her hiss angrily. "She's probably thinking about a special someone~"

Flustered at being the center of attention and how close her friend's words hit home, Azusa hastily stood up and shouldered her bag. "I-I'm going to the clubroom now! I-I'm okay, Ui, Jun, really. See you guys later!"

It felt like she was running away but she did not want to think about it anymore. She glared at the pouring rain outside, blaming the melancholy it hailed as the cause of her predicament. The quiet yet droning splatters always brought her into a deep trance, pushing away any thoughts of the current world and leaving perplexing puzzles behind.

Yet no matter how much she pondered, she could not solve the enigma known as Hirasawa Yui.

It was fortunate that the brunette's silly antics distracted her from her musing once more. The lead guitarist tried so hard to protect her guitar from the rain that she got thoroughly drenched in her efforts. The typical day in the clubroom continued until they began to talk about how the weather in Japan was not kind on the instruments. After Azusa mentioned the possibility of mold, Yui immediately checked her dear Gitah like a fretting mother hen. Exasperated, the younger girl informed her that the strings appeared rather tarnished, prompting the brunette to change them in dramatic gestures while narrating in that chirpy voice of hers.

However, Azusa's annoyance at the whole ordeal was perceived differently by her bandmates.

"Azunyan, are you jealous~?" Yui giggled and held her cheeks in playful embarrassment.

Her words struck the younger girl's heart more than they should have. While she was still reeling from shock, she heard Ritsu's mock thoughtful tone piping up in amusement.

"Oho~ Love triangle huh?"

"I see, "Triangle Love!" That would make great lyrics for a sad song!" Even Mio, the senpai she depended on the most for rationality, seemed quite excited. Mugi stood beside her, silent, though she wore a dreamy smile as if to show how much she agreed with her friends' words.

"Geez, Azunyan, you should have just told me so~" Yui placed her hands on the younger girl's shoulders, making her cringe in mortification.

Unlike any other times, Azusa was quite aware of this simple body contact with the brunette and it made her feel rather uncomfortable and self-conscious. Therefore, instead of letting these foreign emotions get to her, she masked them by scolding the older girl.

The changing of strings took much longer than Azusa would have liked but at least it was done. Yui slumped down tiredly as if it was the most draining thing she ever did. And just when the pigtailed girl thought the topic was gone for good, her mutterings of Gitah caught the brunette's attention again.

"Don't worry, Azunyan~ I cherish you just as dearly~"

These words made her flinch again, throwing her thoughts into further chaos. She was spared from confronting them when Yui quickly slung her guitar over her shoulder and bid everyone farewell, saying she must get home immediately before the rain began to drizzle again.

After Mio and Mugi also packed up and left the room, Ritsu hung back to nudge Azusa's shoulder.

"There's no need to get so worked up like that~ Be honest to how you feel~ I mean, we all know how jealous you were~"

The pigtailed girl did not know what came over her. Perhaps it was the incessant rain and the troubling thoughts that came with it, or perhaps it was her anger at her own contradicting mind, but she finally reached her limit.

She slapped Ritsu's arm away from her body, hissing. "It's not like someone like you would ever understand how I feel!"

The tawny-haired girl grew strangely quiet instead of retorting as expected. Wordlessly, she left the room to go after Mio and Mugi, making Azusa swallow uneasily. Regret filled her mind as she hurriedly packed her things and ran after her senpais as well.

It was ridiculous that she felt guilty over her actions. True, she should not have lost her control like that, but it was Ritsu's fault for teasing her and pushing her over the edge. Yet why did it feel like she hurt the older girl's feelings somehow?

The tawny-haired girl was joking and chatting with them like usual as if nothing happened. However, Azusa finally realized how forced everything seemed even though it was just like the usual banters. Did this mean that Ritsu was hiding something everyday by being her chipper self?

What could she be hiding?

Before they parted ways at the intersection, Azusa thought she heard a murmur.

"I know how you feel so…I'm sorry about before."

Eyes widening, she whirled around to look back across the street and was about the run back when the signal turned red. Ritsu was grinning at Mio, who was blushing deeply at some story her friend was telling. Separated by the street, Azusa could only stare after the two of them until their silhouettes disappeared behind a corner.

"Azusa-chan, what's the matter?" Mugi's kind voice gently coaxed her out of her reverie.

"I-It's nothing, Mugi-senpai."

Azusa tightened her grips on the guitar strap and umbrella as she walked towards the blonde.

Yes, it was nothing.

It was just the rain.

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><p><strong>AN:** A short entry, as it's meant to be. There are 10 entries planned for this little series and, based on this entry's title, it should be obvious what the rest are :3 It's rather difficult to decide on which genres to put for this story...

I hope you've enjoyed this little piece!

Any feedbacks are welcome.


	2. Fluff2 Orange

**A/N:** Happy birthday Azusa! X3 Two entries in this ficlet series are already dedicated as b-day presents to the characters… Well, I also need to write something light and 'nice' after a certain chapter. So here it is, another short entry.

Reminders that this story still has heavy (blatant) YuiAzu and Mitsu hints :3 and it's based on canon events, so some parts will look familiar!

Disclaimer: I don't own K-on

Special thanks to ghikiJ for beta as usual :3

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><p><strong>~C~C~C~C~C~C~C~<strong>

**Fluff2 – Orange Cotton Candies**

**~C~C~C~C~C~C~C~**

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><p>"Azusa-chan, welcome!"<p>

"Hey, Ui," the pigtailed girl smiled at her friend and briefly glanced around the Hirasawa residence with a glint of admiration in her eyes. It always amazed her how Ui managed to keep the whole place so clean that the wooden floor practically glowed. After Azusa took off her shoes and stepped into the hallway, she felt bad tarnishing its sheen with her socks. Really, the pony-tailed girl was an extraordinary human being…

"Azunyan~ Ui~"

"Onee-chan! Mou, I told you not to eat those snacks~"

… and an extremely doting sister.

Azusa's eyelids twitched from watching the sibling interaction in the living room. Yui rolled on the carpet and latched onto Ui's legs with her signature innocent, angelic smile. The reprimand immediately left the pony-tailed girl as she leaned down to gently wipe her older sister's smudged cheeks. The Hirasawa siblings really should switch roles.

"Alright, let's get started, Azunyan! See, before you came, I already drew something!"

Yui sat up straight and dramatically folded her arms, eyes closed in pride. The kouhai stared at the posters on the coffee table, appalled by her senpai's doodles. Was that supposed to be a turtle? Ton–chan? And was that Mio-senpai? Why was her striped underwear showing? And those triangular shapes on top of a pigtailed girl looked awfully familiar…

"Like it?"

Azusa rubbed the bridge of her nose, inexplicably irritated by the imaginary tail wagging behind Yui.

"… I'll try to come up with the layout and designs on the opposite sides of the posters while you trim Mio-senpai's photos so we can paste them," she muttered brusquely and kneeled down by the couch.

"Azunyan is mean!" Face scrunched up comically, the brunette toppled sideways and puffed her cheeks reproachfully at the younger girl.

Garnet eyes remained firm. _"Now."_

Ignoring the theatrical sobs about her supposed tyranny, Azusa twirled a pencil in her hands and allowed her thoughts to drift towards the event a few days ago.

The student council president, Manabe Nodoka, asked the Light Music Club for a favor they could not refuse, much to a certain bassist's dismay. A tea party was to be held next week for the members of the Akiyama Mio Fanclub. Azusa herself was neutral about the whole idea but after seeing how fired up Ritsu, Yui and even Mugi were, the younger girl became enthusiastic as well. The blonde keyboardist proclaimed that she would bring a giant cake while the drummer and guitarist volunteered to be the MCs of the party. Azusa then offered to make the posters, prompting Yui to invite her over so they could work on them together.

However, looking at the state of things, the ever-diligent girl knew she would have to take care of the posters without the brunette's help. It wasn't as if she was expecting otherwise in the first place.

"Yui-senpai," she sighed irritably at the older girl, who was nibbling on a cracker rather loudly, "focus and stop being distracting!"

"Uuuua, Azunyan is so scary today, Ui~" Yui clutched at the edges of her sister's apron and pouted woefully. The ponytailed girl placated the distraught brunette with another cracker before turning to face her friend with a solemn look.

Azusa heard the unspoken question and smiled lightly to reassure Ui that everything was fine. She knew her strange behavior for the past few weeks worried the girl, but she had no idea why she's been rather short-tempered with Yui lately either. Normally, the brunette's childish antics would only make her frown, but now she felt the need to express her frustration verbally and even physically.

Never mind that she didn't even know where that particular sentiment came from.

Ui chuckled lightly as she continued to stroke her sister's hair. "Would you let me help out too, Azusa-chan?"

"Yes, please," the pigtailed girl replied instantly, knowing how futile it was to plan something so artistic when illustrating was never her forte. She knew anything Ui made would be pretty.

"Azunyan, are you mad at me?"

The hurt puppy voice proved to be too much for the younger girl. "Of course not. I'm sorry if I seem angry earlier but you should really focus, Yui-senpai."

Smiling brightly, the brunette rolled to Azusa's side and rested her head on the surprised girl's lap. "Hehe, I know. Azunyan's so warm and soft~"

She fought the urge to squirm at this uncomfortable yet pleasant contact with the object of her inner debates. After a moment of stiffness, she relaxed and did her best to ignore the older girl, who appeared to be dozing off.

"Onee-chan's so cute," Ui giggled and lovingly brushed away a strand of hair on her sister's cheek. Yui smiled dazedly and mumbled something about cake while her eyes remained closed.

Azusa found herself smiling at the simple interaction between the two. She often wondered why people tended to mistaken the siblings' identities when they were both obviously different individuals. They did share similar attributes other than their appearance though; they were kind and optimistic, friendly and forgiving.

Then, why didn't she ponder about Ui more? Azusa was puzzled why the older Hirasawa affect her so much, when the younger one had more qualities that agreed with the pigtailed girl. Ui was great at everything; she was responsible, mature and so nice.

Yui, on the other hand, needed to be kept in line, especially when a certain drummer was around.

_Ding-dong_.

"Oi~ We're here, open up!"

Speak of the devil. Azusa stared on, deadpanning when Yui leaped up and dashed towards the entrance.

"Ricchan!"

"Yui!"

"Ricchaaaaaaaan~"

"Yuiiiii~"

The pigtailed girl tactfully disregarded the dynamic duo's dramatic reunion and greeted the bassist. Mio shared the same exasperated look as they returned to the living room, which was now filled with noise.

"Why are you here, Ritsu-senpai?" Azusa glared at the tawny-haired girl, who was in the middle of ruffling Yui's hair.

"Such impudent behavior from a young'un!" Ritsu spoke in the tone of an offended elder and pulled her in a headlock.

Azusa yowled when knuckles playfully rubbed against her temples. "No, really," she hissed through clenched teeth as she struggled in the chokehold, "_why_ are you here? If you're just here to disrupt work-"

"Of course not, what would make you think that?" The drummer gasped in mock horror, "I'm helping Mio practice her speech!"

"I don't need any help, and we could have just stayed at my place," the bassist rolled her eyes and hauled her childhood friend off the younger girl.

Azusa sent Mio a grateful smile before giving Ritsu a fierce scowl, "Don't tell me you're just here to eat the snacks Ui made."

Amber eyes flickered sheepishly. "…maybe?"

"Oh, you're not here to see me?" Yui placed the back of her hand on her forehead, imitating the pose of a tragic damsel. "I'm hurt~"

"Of course I'm here to see you, private!"

"Captain!"

"Private!"

A mixture of growl and groan left Azusa's throat as she buried her face in her palms in exasperation. Mio patted her shoulder in understanding before going over to Ui's side to help out with the poster. The trembling girl breathed deeply a few times to suppress the rage bubbling in her mind.

This was getting ridiculous…no, _those two_ were ridiculous! They were seniors, for crying aloud! Garnet eyes burned holes on the wrestling pair, who ignored a sharp scolding from Mio and continued to tussle on the floor. The bassist appeared to be too absorbed in her work and her conversation with Ui to deal proper punishment.

Azusa felt like an impromptu nanny with the 'parents' chatting on the side while the 'kids' wreak havoc in the house. She had a decision to make, and fast. Either step back and act aloof as usual, or step in to snap at Yui and Ritsu, and risk becoming one of them. The pigtailed girl knew a lot of the guitarist and drummer's traits were already rubbing off on her, causing her to lose the composure she prided herself with.

What she should do now?

"So here's what we'll do, Yui. We can always sell these photos instead~ Then the money can go into our club fund!" Ritsu held up pictures of Mio like a fan, flicking her wrist haughtily.

"Oooh! As expected of Tainaka-dono~" Yui bobbed her head excitedly and raised her thumb.

Azusa promptly grabbed their collars and dragged them towards the table with a surprising surge of strength. Mio nodded approvingly and reclaimed her pictures from the flailing drummer. The pigtailed girl tightened her grip and tugged relentlessly in spite of her captives' pleas.

Yes, she should just be true to herself as the middle person, rebuking and intervening whenever it was necessary even though she stayed back as an observer most of the time. Her weird feelings about Yui would surely go away and everything would return to normal once she was able to regain her position as this middle person.

"Abuse, abuse!"

"Azunyan is a bad kitty!"

"Nakano, are you PMS-ing-?"

"…WHAT!" Soon, wrathful hisses and frantic yelps filled the house.

Indeed, everything would return to the way it was…hopefully.

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><p>Azusa could only twitch, having lost her ability to scoff at the ludicrous conducts of her seniors.<p>

"Here's the first joined event of the party!"

At Ritsu's vigorous yell, Mugi rolled a wedding-tier cake onto the stage wearing a dreamy smile. Mio jolted uneasily. "W-what? With who?"

"Azunyan will help you!" Yui chirped with a wave of her hand.

When the pigtailed girl sliced the dessert in half with the bassist, she remained stoic at the blinding flashes from the camera, keeping up a bemused frown in spite of the exuberant cheers from the fan girls. The bewildered expression was mirrored by the unfortunate idol, who then stiffly lit the candles at their tables.

Azusa was overwhelmed by the dedication of these fans, who all held onto their Mio products like some kind of precious jewel. After the chaos at the Hirasawa residence, Ritsu and Mio finally compromised with the use of the raven-haired girl's pictures. They stuck the photobooth stickers on all kinds of items imaginable, going as far as can openers and back-scratchers. Even the pouches of cookies Ui baked had the little pictures on them.

However, no matter how queer this party was, it was going quite well. Azusa's meticulously glued photos and Ui's elegant handwriting resulted in a rather pretty poster, which they placed on a board outside of the clubroom. The aromatic beverages that Houkago Teatime was famous for were now served by the happy keyboardist, who amiably chatted with the fanclub members. Their guests sipped the fragrant tea and nibbled the delicate slices of cakes, each wearing a content smile.

The pigtailed girl's lips curved, inflating at the sense of accomplishment as the event proceeded. Everybody looked like they were having so much fun. Mugi was holding a video camera and giggling at random intervals while Yui and Ritsu were practically dancing on the podium, teasing their victim with questions about scary stories.

Right, the center of attention didn't look like she was enjoying the show at all. Azusa truly admired Mio for enduring an event she obviously disliked, solely for the sake of helping Nodoka and contributing to the legacy Sokabe Megumi left behind.

Azusa then realized she could relate to the fan girls' feelings about the bassist. Tall and beautiful, cool and compassionate, Akiyama Mio was really amazing.

…in many ways.

"Where do you wash first when you take a bath?"

"T-the s-shower head."

The pigtailed girl blinked. _She cleaned the washroom?_

"Which part of the taiyaki do you eat first?"

"T-the g-gill cover."

_Where?_

Slightly gaping, Azusa felt really sorry for the bassist who was all curled up on her mini-throne, or execution chair in this case. She had to fight the urge to pull the older girl to safety as the barrage of questions continued. By the time it was over, Mio looked so drained and pale like her soul already escaped its earthly confines, far away from this torment.

The other members of the Light Music Club finally took pity on her and went to the next event, a slideshow showing Mio growing up. Azusa inexplicably twitched in annoyance upon seeing Ritsu in every single picture.

"It's more like a slideshow about you."

The drummer grinned smugly, "they're from my album after all!"

The pigtailed girl gave her a flat stare. However, as the photos flashed across the screen to show the two childhood friends' growth into teenagers, a peculiar glint began to flicker in those amber orbs. Azusa furrowed her brows, curious at how melancholic Ritsu appeared. There were unidentifiable emotions brimming in those expressive eyes as they trailed from the smiling raven-haired girl in the photos to the one on the stage.

_"I know how you feel so…I'm sorry about before."_

Ritsu's strange words on that rainy day finally struck something in Azusa as she looked back and forth between the drummer and bassist. The two of them have always been close, so much that it was weird to see one without the other. Their bond was powerful and impenetrable by any outsider; they will always be friends no matter what happened.

Then, why did the tawny-haired girl look so sad?

An odd theory began to form in Azusa's mind but she quickly dismissed it. It was impossible.

Yet the more she thought about it, the harder it was to ignore the little gestures and looks Ritsu gave to Mio from time to time.

That soft smile of amusement when the raven-haired girl read out her sugary poem

That fiery grin of joy as the drums and bass fused as one during the performance of Pure Pure Heart.

That guarded stare of concentration when particular verses reverberated in the classroom.

_"There are tons of thoughts in my head __  
>I'm sort of afraid they might spill out-"<em>

Azusa attentively plucked at her guitar, trying to convince herself that she was reading too much into this.

_"A melody sweeter than cotton candy __  
>And a rhythm hotter than fireworks-"<em>

Maybe, just maybe, it was only because of Mio's sweet lyrics that caused these uncharacteristic expressions to form on Ritsu's face?

_"I'll have no fear if you will accept it __  
>But when these feelings passed through the atmosphere<br>You had disappeared from the other side of the street~"_

As the last notes of the song faded and got taken over by the audience's applause, the pigtailed girl glanced at the drummer and was surprised to see a flash of despair on her visage before that typical grin returned. Now Azusa was certain that none of it was her imagination. She just never paid close attention in the past but Ritsu must have been harboring special feelings for Mio for quite a while.

The younger girl persistently clung to her new discovery so she would not have to confront her own feelings about Yui. The temporary break from her ceaseless musing was very much welcome.

After the fan girls left, squealing at how they were able to take a group photo with their idol, the Light Music Club members began to clean up the room. Or, rather, Nodoka, Mio and Mugi were cleaning while Yui happily finished the remaining snacks. Azusa placed the tables back at their original position and casually approached the drummer leaning near the window ledge.

"Mio-senpai's really amazing, isn't she?"

Ritsu yawned and lazily scratched her hair. "I guess so. Those fan girls of hers sure are crazy."

"I kind of understand them. I mean, I love Mio-senpai too," Azusa said breezily, "she's so cool after all."

Chuckling, the tawny-haired girl patted her head once before the playful hand was pushed away. "Heh, sounds like you should join the club too eh, Nakano?"

"Maybe," Azusa smiled lightly, "but don't you love her as well, Ritsu-senpai?"

"Well, isn't that obvious? I've been in love with Mio as long as I can remem-" Amber eyes blinked in surprise before forceful coughs took over, but the damage was done.

The pigtailed girl was shocked at the careless slip. She was only assuming things but she didn't actually expect it to be true. The drummer looked horrified and frightened that she accidentally revealed something so personal.

A tense silence hung around them, uncertain what they should do or say next.

Before Azusa could utter her apology for being nosy, Ritsu scoffed and folded her arms behind her head. "Whatever. You've been in love with Yui ever since you met her, haven't you? So don't look so offended hearing my secret."

"W-what!" The pigtailed girl glared up at the smirking senior. "That's not true, I don't have feelings for that lazy senpai!"

"You _so_ do!"

"Do not!"

Filled with panic and fear, Azusa growled out denials but she was unable to refute these accusations in her mind. There was no way she felt that way about Yui, right? That immature, space-invading, airheaded, adorable, caring-

She shook her vehemently, alarmed by the sudden direction her thoughts were taking. The drummer chortled triumphantly as if she could hear the younger girl's inner turmoil.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

Both huffing, they continued to hurl childish insults at each other until their fight was interrupted by Mio, who gave them a curious glance before dragging Ritsu away by her ear.

"Stop bullying Azusa and don't just dawdle! You're the buchou, come help us!"

"I wasn't bullying her!"

The pigtailed girl stuck out her tongue, gratified that the irritating drummer got what she deserved. Before she could completely savor her victory, familiar warmth suddenly enveloped her and made her squeal in surprise.

"Azunyan~ Say ah!"

Automatically, she opened her mouth when Yui gave her a spoonful of cake. Bliss filled her immediately, the previous rage forgotten. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Ritsu grinning foolishly even when Mio dealt a fist of justice on her forehead as if she actually enjoyed the pain.

A bolt of electricity passed through them when their eyes met, astonished by a simultaneous realization.

They were both helpless, weren't they?

Azusa, no matter how much she protested, always let Yui do as she pleased. Ritsu, on the other hand, let Mio beat her up even thought there were times she could have escaped.

They both enjoyed the contact, however weird the form of skinship was.

Now that they knew another fellow bandmate was in a similar situation, they could no longer dismiss their feelings.

After everything was cleared up, Ritsu and Azusa stayed behind and sat on the podium, staring at the empty classroom in utter silence. Both were still stunned by their revelations and the knowledge they acquired. Soon, the sky's cheerful blue shifted to the hopeful orange of the setting sun.

"Hey, Azusa," the drummer finally broke the ice, "Wanna try something?"

"What?"

Ritsu scratched the back of her hair, frowning wearily. "I dunno if this would actually help us deal with it but at least it's something…"

"What is it?" Though impatient for an answer, the pigtailed girl felt trepidation at whatever plans the senior had in mind.

"We could…practice confessing, y'know. Unless you want to bottle up your feelings and never tell Yui, of course. I-I'd like Mio to know mine, somehow."

Azusa did not know what to say. She gazed out of the window, garnet eyes trained on the wisps of clouds as if an answer would mysteriously reveal itself. The snack-loving guitarist really wasn't just a senior to her. She liked the brunette differently than any other people.

But what should she do?

"I figured if we practice, we'd actually sound okay when the time comes. No stuttering or stupid words, yeah? I really don't want to mess it up," Ritsu brushed her hair in frustration. "I know it's weird but this is all I can think of. It actually feels kinda nice to share this secret."

The pigtailed girl nodded wordlessly, unable to disagree with that fact. Now that her feelings were straightened out and labeled, she felt light for the first time in so long.

Sighing quietly, she reached a conclusion. She wanted to understand more about these unfamiliar feelings so she could return to being the organized person who knew what she was doing.

"Alright then."

The smudgy, intangible line between Nakano Azusa and Tainaka Ritsu began to dissolve the precise moment the pigtailed girl agreed to the plan, just like the day she savored the sweet taste of that fluffy cotton candy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Again, even though this is labeled Tainakano, there are still lots of various interactions with other characters. And Pure Pure Heart is the theme song for this ficlet X3;;; -gets pitchforked by Mitsu fans-

So finally, some sort of plot line is revealed? 83

Criticism and any other feedback are welcome!


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